During the last several weeks of devastating world events, it has been difficult for me to stay focused and carry on with daily life. Like many people touched by the events in Israel and Gaza, I have been overwhelmed by feelings of fear, grief and hopelessness.
There is nothing like visiting a place to deepen your understanding of its people, customs, and culture. Last month Kevin and I hit the road and traveled to Atlantic Canada, with a delightful stopover along the south shore of the St Lawrence River in Quebec.
I recently completed my first 10 km race. I’m 55 years old and was never a runner. When the pandemic shut down the local gym, I found myself choosing to run to stay fit and manage my stress. Three years later, I achieved a “personal best”, running 10 km in under an hour.
Last week my spouse Kevin and I participated in a Mindfulness Retreat* in the Beaver Valley, a UNESCO-designated biosphere in Ontario. It was held in a village in the Niagara Escarpment, where there is an abundance of hiking trails, rivers, farmland and a natural environment for flora and fauna to thrive.
After a wonderful restful holiday, I found myself feeling fatigued and overwhelmed at the start of the new year. The past year was jam-packed with barely enough time to catch my breath. When I finally slowed down, it was hard to get the engine going, despite the best of intentions and lots of exciting new ideas for 2023. Sound familiar?
I recently became a Mentor Coach with the International Coach Federation and will be offering a group Mentor Coaching Program in 2023 to certified coaches who are renewing their credentials and coaches in training who are seeking certification for the first time.
For me, the fall season is usually an exciting time of onboarding new clients, launching a new project, taking a class, and reconnecting with friends and family over the High Holidays and Thanksgiving. This year, I’ve found myself resisting the usual rush of activity. I don’t think I’m alone in wanting life to just slow down.
A year ago in this newsletter, I profiled one of my clients, Alexis Ashworth who had left her Executive position with a non-profit organization to launch a new social enterprise, Root in Nature.
I love this time of year. As the layers of heavy clothing come off, I start to feel lighter. I notice that even during difficult times, I can bounce back faster. It’s as if the sudden signs of natural growth give me an extra boost to overcome the every day challenges in my professional and personal life.
“You are never too small to make a difference.” - Greta Thunberg March 8th is International Women’s Day and this year I was invited to participate in a panel discussion Deepening the Leadership Capacity of Women Today: A Conversation on Action. The panel prompted me to look into the history of International Women’s Day which originated at the turn of the 20th century as a political movement advocating for women’s suffrage and equality rights. By 1977, the United Nations General Assembly recognized IWD and many countries began to mark the day in different ways – from celebratory rallies to [...]